Eternity and a Day
by arysoakheart
Summary: "She told me you were dead." "No, I'm worse...much worse." Slight AU Velkan/OC
1. Stay With Me

**Title:** Eternity and a Day

**Prompt:** Request from DanaIsis

**Fandom:** Van Helsing (Slight AU)

**Pairing:** Velkan/OC

**Part 1/3**

**A/N: **This is a three part shot requested by the talented writer, _DanaIsis_. This is my first time writing a short fic centered in this fandom, so, be nice…please?

I shifted uncomfortably as I watched him place the gun in his pack, the exterior glittering off the little light that flooded from the bedside candle, covering the room in an eerie shadow of orange pained walls. It was ever so often that he did this, venturing into the heart of the unknown with only so much as a group of men that could barely call themselves any type of protection; farmers and boys barely even older than myself. Wrapping the raggedy shawl around my shoulders I stood up, slipping my already freezing toes into the equally tattered shoes that were by the beside. His designated side of the makeshift bed was still warm, and his smell lingered in the air above it. Every time I looked at him I still couldn't understand, or maybe I just didn't want to believe it, how fortunate I was to have been chosen by him, a prince of all people. It was the epitome of the very fairytales that had been told to me over the years by my keepers, yes, keepers; I didn't remember having much of a family in France were I grew up for the first eight years of my life, living on the streets, wallowing in my own filth while the upper class ignored the dark girl with graven hair and sad brown eyes that sat on the streets, begging for money; everyday I waited to die, to close my eyes and never wake up. I still shivered as I remembered the many winters I'd sat alone, weakening with every day that passed. The orphanage had refused the take me in, stating that they were too full and couldn't accept any more strays…that was a lie. It wasn't until that one fortunate day, just as I was on the brink of death that Jaelle, a woman with enough kids to open her own factory, found me and took me in.

"Velkan," I asked softly, even after all these years I was still embarrassed to have him in this small shack that I called my home; knowing that he had to sleep on a bad that wasn't even fit for a cow, made of loose straw and old fabrics that we had accumulate over the years in the tiny village, but, not once had he abandoned it for the comfort of a different bed…even one suitable for a prince. He turned slowly, his tunic fitting him loosely. "Do you have to do this?" his lips twitched slightly, we had this conversation many a times, nothing ever seemed to change in their outcome. With the shawl still wrapped around my shoulders, warming my frigid body I stepped closer to him, reaching out with a tentative hand I wrapped it around his wrist. "Just-just stay with me…please." I begged.

"Analiese," he sighed, my eyes flashed to his hand, the silver bullets glistening in the tanned palm as he promptly covered them up; I hated this side of him, the one that wanted to avenge his family, these were the days that I cursed myself for falling in love with a Valerious, and by any right it was destiny that we should have. The Valerious' were known for using our small village as their outposts during excursions and trading, each and everyone one of us had helped Anna and Velkan at least once during the last few years, though, 1887 was a particular time when much in Transylvania came to a standstill. "You know I have to do this." His accent became more prevalent whenever he was strict with me, which wasn't very often, but often enough that I had now come to know when a reprimanding was in order. I watched with growing nausea as he continued to place the casings into the saddle bat that sat on the small wooden desk at the end of the room near the door.

"I'm not letting you leave, Velkan" I said defiantly, dropping the shawl to the ground, my body moving to block the doorway. He sighed, dropping the saddle bag to ground. "There's plenty of other men that can handle this." I knew that my information was skewed, and biased to a degree. The Valerious' were the only ones that could defeat Dracula and everything he'd created, just the thought of Velkan coming into contact with a creature of that lore was daunting. "Let them go…stay with me please." "Ana-" I didn't realize he was bidding me to quiet my words as my ravings continued, tears pulling at the corner of my eyes.

"Analiese!" my lips promptly stopped the hysterical ravings, the warms pads of his hands cradling my face in them. I melted into the touch, closing my eyes for a moment so I could remember what it felt like…every time he did this I felt as if it was going to be the last time. "You needn't worry about me, alright?" he whispered, his thumbs softly running over the flesh just under my eye, wiping the phantom tears away. He smiled softly, the green/grey wise eyes lookin oddly calming in this light.

"How can I not worry?" my voice pleaded, my own dainty hands reaching up to grip his wrists. They wrapped around them like fleshy shackles, trapping him to me. "You're out there fighting a- a beast." I closed my eyes for a moment. Even though I had never witnessed first hand the creature he was after, and I never planned or hoped I would. Snarling and snapping jaws, teeth like knives, and the chilling howl that reverberated in the stories of old that were told around the camp fire when I had joined Jaelle and the rest of her gypsy kin were enough to frighten me from venturing out at night. The hair on the back of my stood on end, heart palpitating, "Velkan, what if you-" my eyes snapped open at the revelation, in those stories that were told the cruse was always passed on to an unexpected bearer; I couldn't think of anything worse than living out your life as a…

"Shhh," he shushed me quickly. "You always say that…" I could see the smirk creeping onto his lips as he pulled me closer to him, our toes meeting. "And you've always ended up being…what?" I chuckled slightly as he brushed a piece of hair behind my ear, never ceasing to flatter me in one way or another.

"Wrong." I admitted; it was true. My knack for predicting the outcome of these "hunts" was normally inaccurate, and far fetched according to his sister. He smiled, slowly dropping his hands from my cheeks, fingers dancing across the skin for a moment. I shivered at his touch and mentally recited the sign of the cross as I closed my eyes. Jaelle had taught me, as well as her other four daughters, that relations out of wedlock were forbidden, no exceptions. Jaelle couldn't have been so naïve as to think that something wasn't going on.

"That's right," his fingers lightly slid over my shoulder, holding it tightly. "And that's the way it's going to stay". Fighting the urge to move closer to him was impossible at this point, and as if some unknown force was pulling me towards him I went, willingly, falling right into his arms. "I'll always come back to you." As much as I wanted to hear the skepticism and uneasiness in his voice…I couldn't find it. He wasn't afraid of whatever was out there for I was his driving force to return unharmed and well.

"You promise?" I asked, needing to hear the reassurance one last time. Slowly and with much care he reached forward, cupping my face in his hands once again. He nodded his head once, my own neck stretching to reach his lips.

"Of course." His voice was soft and sincere, and oddly enough the fears coursing though the pit of my stomach seemed to dissipate in an instant, though I could still feel the lingering doubt swimming in the very bottom.

"_Velkan!" _I knitted my brows together at the sound of the familiar voice; accent heavy, and not mannish in any way, but, very feminine. Turning my head towards the door the voice continued, _"Where are you? We're ready to leave!" _I whipped my head back around to meet Velkan's face; it was trained towards the ground in a knowing glance.

"You're taking your sister?" I inquired hastily, I stepped back as he bent down to retrieve the pack from the ground. The bulging saddle bag looked as if he had stuffed everything in the small room but the bed itself into it. "Why don't you ever take me?" It wasn't the best question I could have asked in a situation like this, and it was clear that it wasn't what I or Velkan desired in any way. He studied my face for a moment; hulling the pack of his shoulder he grabbed both of my hands. I shivered as he held them to his lips, the thin lines pressed against the chilling ice cubes I called hands.

"It's too dangerous." He looked passed my hands, still clutching them tightly though. I followed his gaze, my brown eyes meeting the object he was so intently starring at. You could see the reflection of the golden flame in the emerald green stone that was embedded in the golden casting. Velkan told me it had been his mother's ring, one that his father had inherited from her before her unfortunate passing; I could only presume that it had been passed down for generations at a time. "If something happened to you-" his voice faltered as he looked up, my own eyes meeting his instantly. As if it were possible to pull me closer against him he did, my hands resting on his upper arm lightly, gripping at the eggshell colored tunic. "I would never forgive myself." I smiled slightly, I always did when he spoke about my safety, as if it was his job to protect me from everything that had happened and that could happen. I could tell even in this dim lighting that he was three shades away from total embarrassment, his hand pressing against my lower back slightly.

"Such a gentlemen," I whispered, placing my knuckle under his chin. He slowly lifted his head to accommodate mine, his lips curled in a soft smile. It was these moments that I lived for, the ones when Velkan and I were the only ones on this good earth; no monsters, no prophecy, no vengeance…just him and I. His lips found mine just as they always did the kiss never urgent but laced with enough passion to keep me going for days. Lifting my hand I tangled it in the back of his, gripping at the roots slightly. Something churned in my stomach, a fluttering sensation. _"Velkan! Hurry up, it's getting late!"_ Anna's echo cut though the sensation, but Velkan's lips continued to linger weaning off ever so lightly. I didn't want to let him go, the face before me was blurry as I opened my eyes, kissing his lips once more.

"I should go." He stated regretfully, his eyes trailing over every inch of me, remembering everything. I looked down at the floor again, nothing that it needed to be dusted badly, the sheets needed to be cleaned, and the quilts folded. I busied myself with chores whenever Velkan wasn't around, he chose to stay here rather than go to his own village, naturally this made me want to make my home as much like his as possible even if mine wasn't fortified with walls of stone and brick.

"You should," I stated looking back up at him, his hand already resting on the door knob. "But that doesn't mean you have to." The rest of the hut was just as shanty as the room where I slept and only the essentials were needed; a table, a few chairs and a fire place to cook and boil water. It wasn't much, but, it was home to me…and home to Velkan if you believed it or not. The embers from the fire that previous night still shone in the stove, their orange light flickering as a soft went blew attempting to revive them, but to no avail. Velkan's hand found mine as we exited the small structure only to be greeted with a day that exquisitely matched my mood; dreary. The sky was covered with the ominous gray clouds that seemed to ever linger over the land, and the air was still and smelled of unrelieved tension that was everlasting.

"So this is what was taking you so long, Velkan." Anna observed; the princess was beyond gorgeous and blessed with the face of an angel and long brown hair that cascaded down her back. If she wasn't so wild and hell-bent on avenging her family's name she would have made a decent bride. I couldn't help but feel a hint of jealously towards her sometimes; I looked different than most of the people around these parts, skin brown as dirt, and my hair was a mess of tangled black curls. I was what many would call exotic, alien…and something that Velkan called striking. The woman strutted towards us giving her brother a knowing smirk to which he returned with a locked jaw expression and kissing my hand before starting on his duties of readying the horses for the journey.

"Hello, Anna." I bowed my head slightly in acknowledgement. I could tell from the lack of activity of the settlement that it was still early in the morn, despite the tough exterior and the ruthless vibe she radiated she had the warmest smile I'd ever laid my eyes on, just like her brother. She opened her arms in a welcoming gesture as she reached me; the hug seemed to be something of a foreign nature to her, they were stoic and tense. Holding me out in front of her she studied my face, her eyes noting every small wrinkle and the lack luster glint in my eye as she placed a hand on the side of my face.

"You're alright?" she asked carefully, knowing full well that I wasn't going to be okay. I wished I could have been more like her at times like these; unafraid, courageous, strong…I was none of those things. Instead I was the timid, love sick fiancé that was doomed to wallowing in their self pity until the day their love came back to them. I nodded anyway, trying to put my best front forward her gloved hands left the side of my face promptly.

"Yes, I'm fine." I mustered a smile, but, it only lasted for brief instant. She nodded in reply mouthing the words 'good, good' before she turned on her hells, heading towards the horses that were visibly getting restless by the second. Velkan's stocky frame still looked as if it dwarfed the animal he sat upon, the saddle bag handing off the back doing the same. I stepped back, closer to the small cottage as he pulled the horse into a small walk, the hooves clicking across the ground ominously before he came to a halt. I reached out tentatively my fingers shaking as the cold air nipped at the tips, I couldn't stop the feeling that washed over my heart as his warm hand grasped mine, squeezing it tightly.

"I'll be back." He reassured me; try as he might to hide it but I could still hear the misleading quality of his words, that last words he seemed to say to me sounded unsure about his earlier promises. My stomach churned, turning ways I didn't even know it could turn as his grasp began to slip, and the magnificent dappled grey beauty he sat upon propelled itself slowly towards the others that were already heading towards the trees; looking like an army. I tried to hold on as long as I could, my feet tripping over the rock and dirt as I tried to keep up the horses lengthening gait. "In a few days." His gaze lingered on me as our fingers slipped apart, the hooves echoed sounding more distant than they actually were as he rode away, the rest of the village becoming alive with life around me as the rump of the animal disappeared behind the trees.

* * *

><p>Two days; the stick comprising of several twined clumps of hay brushed against the matt just outside the cottage, and from the corner of my eye I could still see the original broom that I had accidentally broken during my duties earlier that morning. I cursed the Valerious' and Dracula under my breath as I continued to sweep the dirty from the matt, though it couldn't have been doing much to help its décor. It had been two days since Velkan left, leaving me with nothing but empty promises and a house to myself.<p>

"Slow down, Analiese." I could faintly make out Jaelle's voice through my own thoughts. This wasn't any different than the last few times he'd left to days at a time, but, for some reason my gut was twisting in ways incomprehensible to me, like something was stirring within me. These phantom feelings lingered in the back of my mind, popping up at the oddest of times through my day, but they never overshadowed my constant worrying over Velkan…like an obsession. "Analiese!"

"What!" I snapped, dropping the broom onto the ground; eyes wild and starring. Jaelle looked at me, the movements of her fingers across the tunic as she scrubbed it in the basin faltered until they did nothing. My small outburst had already called unwanted attention to bestowed upon us, but, like almost everything in this tiny village it didn't last long and in a matter of moments the few that had stopped to stare and mumble words of displeasure had gone back to their normal routines, some heading towards the stables, the others towing along their goods. Bending over I quickly swiped the broom from the ground before leaning it up against the face of the wooden structure, snow dusted the ground before my feet as I sat down on the stood just outside the door; this wasn't like me. My nerves seemed to be tied in knots, and even the smallest sounds could irritate me to no end.

"You can't kill dust," Jaelle sighed, resuming her earlier duty; steam from the water continued to rise into the cold air that was floating around us, chilling the inhabitants to their very core. "Besides," she snorted, I turned and looked at her, pulling the tatted shawl tighter around me and oh how did it smell of him. "If you break that one it'll be the second in the two days." She sighed, wringing the eggshell cored tunic out before she reached up, clipping it to the line that extended out of the cottage. "Heaven knows my daughter won't stand for making anymore of them." Jaelle's oldest daughter, Esmeralda, was nine years my senior and had a bundle of her own kids to take care of now; I wouldn't dare venture towards her cottage in search of another one, knowing that she was under enough pressure as it was.

"I'm sorry Jaelle." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose; we needed at new topic of conversation for a change, but I couldn't for the life of me bring myself to talk about anything but Velkan's return, it's what I lived…it's what I breathed. "It's just that," I bit my bottom lip slightly, pushing the thoughts away from my mind. "Velkan said a few days; and I haven't heard from him or-"Close your eyes and focus, I always tried to tell myself, if I didn't I'd throw myself into a dark corner. Jaelle could visibly see the signs of my demise settling, reaching out she grabbed a hold of my arm, shaking me slightly.

"Calm yourself, dear," she demanded softly, her thumb brushed over my wrist as I closed my eyes, letting a shaky breath escape my lips. "If anything had of happened to anyone, Velkan would have been back here by now." She reassured me, I opened my eyes slowly. This woman was like the mother I never knew; she clothed me, fed me, and kept a roof over my head even though she had her own children to take care of and teach. "I've never seen a boy more in love." She chuckled. She knew just the right strings to pull to get me to calm down, and almost instantly a wave of contentment washed over me, setting in my bones. "When is that wedding of yours by the way?" she probed, shaking my arm once more before she went back to earlier duties; her wrinkled fingers wringing the excess water from yet another garment before she hung it upon the line. A cold breeze blew though the small village, chilling me instantly, tensing my muscles; something about this breeze didn't feel right, my stomach churned uneasily. Settling my hand on my stomach the wave of nausea subsided slightly.

"In a months time." I answered, shaking away the impulse to empty the contents of my half empty stomach onto the ground; it had happened once or twice before this, the foreign feeling in my stomach, followed by the regurgitating of whatever I had eaten earlier that evening or the evening before that. Velkan didn't seem to hear the sounds in the early morning, thank goodness, although, maybe I should have told him about me feeling ill…maybe he wouldn't have left then.

"You don't seem very enthused." Jaelle commented, I could hear the skepticism controlling the usually hardy voice that she possessed. Turning in the small stood that I sat upon I glanced in her direction, noting that the look in her eyes was one of concern, again, I wrapped the dirtied shawl around my shoulders tighter, the smell of burning wood filled the air as the fireplace in side continued to heat.

"I'm-"I stopped my self short of my own reply, I myself not knowing the reason for my lack of enthusiasm of the subject; it was all I had mused about since the day he asked for my hand in marriage and that was over four months prior to this date. "I'm just worried," I shrugged, looking away from here once more. "I can't imagine living without him." Her reaction to my sentiment wasn't one that I was expecting; giving her a look of confusion I bushed the bouncing raven black tendrils behind my ear. My expression enquiring her to explain what amusement she found in my worry, her lips parted still in a silent laugher.

"Oh," she howled, "I'm sure that's not true." Water splashed about in the bucket as she hung yet another piece of clothing onto the line; I glanced back in the direction of the woven basket, noting that she only had but a few articles left to wash. "You made it years without knowing him before, besides," she continued, I still didn't see the reason not to be worried. "My own love died ages ago…and I'm still here." The perkiness in her voice didn't fool me; I'd seen her cry more times over her dead husband than any of her actually children had, it was shame that I only came to know him for a few years before he fell ill with a cold and passed away during the night.

Arguing my opinions with the seasoned old woman would prove futile for she had more years and experience than I; shrugging in shook my head once more, silently disagreeing with everything she revealed. "I still don't understand why _he_ needs to do this." I could hear the whining in my voice overshadow any fear that was shaking in it before. "Theres plenty of other men that should be out there…ridding the word of those- those creatures." My taupe toned hand waved towards the forest that lined the edge of town; several men stood at a few of the posts, positioned there because of Velkan's orders. Jaelle's frail hands wrapped themselves in her own knitted shawl as she looked in my direction, having finally finished her laundry, her eyes blank and lips curled into a knowing smirk; my eyes rolled.

"_He _is the last male of Valerious bloodline," she reminded me; almost instantaneously my heart leapt in my chest as her reprimanding, but not because of the fear of being put in my place…but because of what she said. Yes, I had been ill the last few weeks off and on, but nothing too serious, I figured it was just an illness that was being passed along the village…until the startling realization of being the only "ill" individual in the village presented itself to me. I told myself I was foolish to think that it could have been anything else but that, but, over the last month…I started to feel odd…and not so much myself. "You knew what you were stepping into."

"Well," I answered lowly, silencing for a few more moments before I could bring myself to utter the words that I had only ever thought about, but never repeating them aloud, "He might be the last…" And for some strange reason as the words rolled off my tongue it felt as if an immense weight had been lifted from my shoulders and tossed carelessly to the side; I was able to breathe easier, sit up straighter, but the churning in my stomach still continued. I only looked up when I felt Jaelle's hand wrap around my wrist, and rather tightly I may add, squeezing it. I glanced down ay the wrinkled whitening knuckles as she starred up at me, eyes bulging and full of what looked like fear.

"Why do you speak like that child?" she hissed, her head whipping from side to side, almost as if she was looking for an intruder of some sort. My eyes danced around the rather empty village as well, noting the snow capped trees and children bundled up tightly as they ran though the streets, parents walking behind them slowly; one little boy caught my eye as his father picked him up in his arms, holding him close. An odd lump filled my throat, sending a small jolt up my spine. I'd never looked at children like that…a family. The realization was being even more prevalent as I vent down towards her once again, eyes wide.

"You must keep this to yourself….do you promise?" I hissed back, fear etching each syllable. The old woman before me nodded her head quickly, mumbling a series of yes'. "Well," I began to explain slowly; I'd never rehearsed how to bring about this news, and what if there was no news to tell anyway. "I've been feeling," I sifted though the words the floated around in my skull, trying to pick the best word to describe exactly how I had felt for the last month; scared, worried, shocked, skeptical…. "different." I finally answered; eye twitching slightly as the word left my mouth…it was a good different though.

"Oh my heavens," it was almost as if Jaelle couldn't contain her excitement as she mumbled the blessing, her hand quickly covering her mouth as if she had uttered a dire secret. Her knee began to shake as she grasped my face in her hands, I swallowed hard; Jaelle had mothered nine children of her own…of course she would known when someone was carrying another human being inside of them. She had even once commented on me being absolutely glowing at once point over the last few weeks…it seemed that neither she nor I thought anything of it. "Oh, bless you child." She continued to whisper.

"I'm- I'm not sure yet." I tried to explain to her, no yet understanding that the damage was already done; now that the supposed truth was out there, I was almost positive that I would not be able to convince her otherwise.

Seeming to completely neglect the other information of it's accuracy she continued on with her ramblings, most of them being spoken too fast for me to even understand. "Does Velkan know?" she suddenly asked, eyes locking with mine instantly. I shook my head slowly, glancing at the stones beneath our boots before looking back up.

"No, I didn't want to tell him unless it was accurate." I replied back just as quickly, I could already see an array of questions circling in her pale eyes as she continued to look up at me. A spark lit in them just as quickly, I wasn't even aware that a woman of her age could move so quickly, or swiftly. Before I knew it she was towering over me, her hand still grasping my wrist tightly.

"Well then," she looked around again, "You must find out. Have you been feeling ill recently?" I continued to stare up at her, knitting my brows together at the feeling of Déjà vu that washed over me; the very questions she was grilling me with were the very questions that I had been asking myself constantly.

"Yes, but-"I stumbled over the words as I stood up from the stool, my feet crunching the blanket of snow that sat beneath me, teeth chattering. "But I just thought it was a illness being passed about-"with her hand still grasped around my wrist she began to pull me towards the entrance of the small cottage, quickly opening the door we were both greeted by the smell of burning wood, the warmth not at the level of satisfaction for such a cold day, but, it was manageable.

"And what about your cycle?" she rounded on me as soon as the door was closed; taking the shawl from around my shoulders I set it on the small chair closest to the door, wrapping my arms around myself as I stared at the burning flames the licked towards the top of the chimney. "Has it continued this month-"

"No." I answered loudly, immediately apologizing to the woman with an uneasy glance; this was all too much to take in at once. Whenever I thought about it, the news didn't seem so bad, or this important…but know that she knew. I watched as Jaelle began to pace in a small circle, her worn boots turning into the wooden floor, making it creak. Her hand was held up near her lips, those thin lines mumbling. I could vaguely make out a few 'oh lords' and 'bless her souls' that fumbled from her lips; I involuntary placed a hand on my stomach, closing my eyes. Maybe some women just know when they're carrying a child within themselves, maybe some didn't; obviously I was the latter. But even so, my thumb caressed the flat fabric, and I would be lying if I said this wasn't a good feeling.

"Ohhhhhhhh," Jaelle sighed; the tone of the old woman's voice sent a shiver up my spine, and my stomach into a frenzy as it dropped. I immediately opened my eyes, the images of a small child in Velkan's arms fading away as her worrisome tone drifted though my ears. "Do you know what this means?" I was startled by her jerky movements as she rushed forward, placing her own hand on top of mine that was still resting on the fabric of my dress. "If you are in fact carrying Velkan's child…" she paused yet again, "You could continue the bloodline." The revelation that she had just revealed to me was something that hadn't crossed my mind, as far as we were all concern Velkan and Anna were the last two children of the Valerious family…but if I was in fact carrying Velkan's child then… My face grew cold as the blood traveling in my veins froze in an instant, my mouth becoming very dry. "Analiese, you must tell Velkan the news as soon as he returns…you are not safe here anymore."

Slowly looked up towards the woman I froze yet again; I'd never seen so much fear in one person's eyes, radiating out of every pore of her body. "What do I do?" I inquired almost mechanically, as if by some natural force I was programmed to say exactly that, no emotion underlying the words.

"You and Velkan," she placed her hands on either of my shoulders, I blinked feeling the tears flutter to my eyes, "Must leave Transylvania…for the sake of this child." I nodded slowly, not really comprehending the words that were coming from her lips, but, nether the less I agreed to them; I continued to stand by the fire place as Jaelle spoke, her sentences never ending, nor did she seem to realize that she was changing subjects every moment. I only interrupted her when she began speaking of the forest, the very one that was considered dangerous and off limits to travelers…especially the hours ranging from dusk until dawn. "Theres a woman who lives on the outskirts of the village; just a small way from here, through the forest." She spoke quickly, speaking of the "witch" woman, supposedly Lucine had predicted all of Jaelle's children; or so she'd explained to me.

"Jaelle," I tried to overpower the woman's voice, but as stubborn and excited as she, it was futile. She continued to ramble, only stopping a few times to rest her hand on her hip to catch her breath, before she was back to her ramblings.

"We'll go there tonight. She'll be able to give us the truth."

"Jaelle!" I hadn't expected my voice to rise that much, but alas it had. Closing my eyes for a moment I tried to calm myself, reassuring my nerves that everything was going to be fine. "It's- it's too dangerous to walk in the forest at night," I explained, "and what if Velkan comes back." This was me confessing my wishful thinking, "He'll be distraught if he finds I'm not here…"

"Do you want to figure this out or not?" the old woman snapped, hands resting on her hips as she ignored my pleas; there was no way I was going to be able to change her mind, and the fact that it would be dark soon didn't provide any solace to me whatsoever.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure this is safe?" I inquired for the hundredth time it seemed; I kept my voice low, the lantern in my hand giving off minimal light as it reflected off the snow covered ground. Dead leaves and fallen branches littered the small trail before us, and it seemed as if the temperature had dropped significantly; but it wasn't only the cold that was sending a shiver up my spine, and it certainly wasn't the only culprit that was forcing my hair to stand on end, all of my senses on high alert. Pulling the fabric tighter around me the wind blew slightly, chilling me as well as the sounds that accompanied the breeze as it wrestled though the bare branches. Every sound that the night produced frightened me, no matter if it was the flutter of a bird late to its nest or the chattering of the mammals that had come out of hibernation a little too early; it was always in the back of my mind that it could be something much worse than that.<p>

"You shouldn't doubt your elders, Analiese." Jaelle scolded me; I was surprised by the lack of fear of the unknown that the woman possessed as she trekked though the dead, icy earth ahead of me "I wouldn't put you in any danger."

"I know, Jaelle," I commented, speeding up my pace slightly until I was practically in synch with the woman in front of me. "It's just- I'm not getting a good feeling about this." I turned and looked behind me, an automatic response to the rustling that was coming from the bushes at the end of the trail; I half expected it to be one of the guards that usually kept watch at night, I still wasn't sure how Jaelle and I were able to get past them.

"She does that to everyone, dear." She commented "Come along now, it's not much farther." Our destination was practically right around the corner, we hadn't been walking for more than and extra three minutes with a lonely hut came into view; spoke rose from the oddly crafted chimney of twisted stone, the grass and trail leading to the entrance of the hut was still covered with snow and dead leaves, and it hadn't looked as if this place had had a proper cleaning in decades. My eyes roamed about the yard, though I could barely see anything in the dim lightly that the lanterns provided us with, holding the fire out in front of me I moved it from left to right, trying to take note of everything I saw. I jumped as bark filled the air, my heart beating rapidly against my chest; it didn't sound nearly as menacing as the barks that the dogs in the village acquired, and it wasn't vicious enough to be something of a monstrous proportion; swinging the lantern in the direction of the bark my nerves continued to clamor. It was rather large animal, dark black fur covering its body, and even in the dim light I could see the tense tendons rippling beneath its skin, it barked again.

"Visitors, I presume." I turned sharply on my heels as the monotone voice rang through the air; it was more of a statement than a question to begin with. I could feel my heart beating in my ears as I watched the frail figure move from the door way, her back hunched, and a walking stick prodding the earth as she shuffled. I stood still as I watched Jaelle approach her half way, bowing her head quickly.

"Lucine, it's Jaelle." She greeted her; Jaelle turned to be quickly, her hand motioning for me to come forward. I stood unmoving for a few moments, Jaelle's lantern providing enough light for me to get a good look at the woman, Lucine's, face; it was wrinkled, scars covering portions of the leathery looking skin, and her eyes…I'd never seen eyes like hers, they looked dead, glazed off and hyaline. I looked towards the ground before moving slowly towards the two of them, avoiding the woman's dead gaze as she shifted her attention to what I assumed to be the sounds of my footsteps.

"Ah," she croaked, "Yes, it's been a long time since your last visit." She observed, "Who have you brought with you this time?" The curved stick held in her hand stretched towards me, prodding at my leg as she hobbled towards me slightly, I blinked a few times as her eyes lifted to meet mine; it was almost as if she was looking threw me instead of at me, I wasn't even sure if she could see me… "I don't think we've met-"

"No," I answered slowly, but loudly, trying not to show the fear that was clearly evident in my voice. "Indeed we haven't. I'm Analiese." I introduced myself, embarrassed by the way I was starring at the woman. She smiled slightly, and I couldn't really say it was a toothy smile seeing that she didn't necessarily have all of her teeth to begin with.

"Oh, yes, yes…Velkan's girl."

"How-"I began to stutter, surely I'd never seen her around the village before, I didn't even know of her existence until earlier this evening actually. I knitted my brows together, watching as she closed her mouth, showing off a tight lipped smile in the process.

"I'm blind, my dear, not deaf. I presume you've come for my help?" the woman went on; there was a certain air to her that was welcoming in a sense.

"Yes, Lucine," Jaelle responded for me. "We are in need of answers." I looked towards Jaelle as she spoke quickly, knitting my brows together as the lantern continued to sway back and forth in her grasp, teetering this way and that; whether he hand was shaking from the cold or fear I couldn't tell. Lucine waved her hand in a response, her body turning towards the cottage from whence she came, feet shuffling against the snow covered ground.

"You want to know if she is with child?" the hag stated more than questioned, stopping as in the middle of the snow filled walkway; an eerie wind rustled though the branches of the overhanging branches of the trees, the bright moonlight filling the sky, illuminating the snow beneath our feet like crystals, and a sound, certainly not one made by the wind radiated off the still earth, the wind carrying it to our ears; a howl, loud and menacing. The dog that was chained to the far side of the house cowered in his own shadow, retreating and whimpering; I, myself, had become quite weary as the howl continued to fade into the distance, a terrible case of dry mouth settling in as I wondered how this woman knew all of these things, and wondering how close that creature was. I was surprised that the other two women hadn't become uneasy at the sound. My eyes darted around the small space, half awaiting the beast to make its self known; I was so engrossed in my own thoughts of terror I hadn't realized that the hold woman had already shuffled up to the door, Jaelle directly in tow like the woman's much younger shadow as she turned towards me, my mentor doing the same. "Well, are you going to stand out there all night? Come in." she beckoned.

I will never look at my own home and question neither its poise nor its lack of decoration or cleanliness; compared to this cottage anyone would call it a castle fit for a king. The walls were dirty, covered with strange pictures and lined with bookshelves containing foreign objects that made my stomach churn; fingers, toes, and what looked like animal skulls and dried bat wings were just a few of the said objects that were lining the shelves, and the smell that radiated though out the two vacant rooms were horrible. I covered my nose with my shawl, politely so, if that were even possible as I passed through the foyer, noting a stack of cages, some empty, but, most full that were lining the walls; chickens, rabbits, and other small animals sniffed the air as I passed, their claws and teeth gnawing at the iron bars of their prison. The room she was leading was into didn't seem to be any different from the rest of the less than spacious area; the décor was bland, and only a small bed sat in the corner of the room, a table at the foot of the makeshift sleeping area that was nothing but straw and old sheets that she had come into her possession by mere chance, some even containing an intricate design or two. A few candles were lit around the room, and basin sat on the desk; well, it seemed that she knew we were coming…odd.

"Do not me afraid of me, Analiese." I looked up slowly, but didn't meet the woman's blind gaze as she looked in my supposed direction, and I must say her stare was spot on; perhaps senses heightened to accommodate for the absence of one such as important as sight, or perhaps I was just easy to figure out. Swallowing the lump in my throat I moved forward slowly, unwrapping the shawl from my shoulders, but did not meet the ground, Jaelle's hand stretched forward, taking the brown fabric from my grasp. "Come, lay down," the wrinkled hand stretched towards the bed. There was no turning back now, propelling myself forward was pure courage and it was the last of mine, it seemed. Gently lying on the bundled fabric I let my hands float to my stomach, almost instinctually protecting it, but from what? I wasn't even sure if there was anything in there to begin with, but I just had this feeling… "When did you first believe you were with child?" the questions arose immediately, my eyes avoided the woman's gaze at all costs as her hand probed my clothed stomach, the leathery hands cold against my skin.

"A month ago." I answered slowly; the probing stopped for a few moments, her tongue clicking against the roof of her mouth in what seemed in disappointment. Frowning I looked at her, a shiver running up my spine as I watched her lips mumbling; for a moment I though she was damning me to hell.

"A month?" she scolded me again, her hand pressing harder against my abdomen, "Oh, you foolish girl, and you wait until now to seek my knowledge?" I was tight lipped on the subject, having been scolded enough for one day, she pressed lower on my stomach, mumbling words under her breath in an almost secretive way. I closed my eyes, her voice somewhat soothing…calming in a sense; what would Velkan think of this? I'm sure we'd have to be married right away when he found out the news, if there was any to tell. We wouldn't want God to frown upon us for having a child out of wedlock, especially not now. A gasp from the woman caught my attention, her hand having stopped in one place as she pressed a little harder, I jerked slightly. "Oh," her voice was surprised.

"Oh?" I questioned back, my voice on edge. "Oh what? Did- did you feel something?" Her lips curled into a tantalizing grin as she moved her hand across my stomach once again, mumbling word and 'Oh' 'Mmmm' and 'Yes' under her breath; almost as if she was communicating with someone, silently debating on my condition. She nodded her head in my direction once more. What? What was happening…did she find something? Was something wrong?

"Yes, my dear." She croaked and Jaelle gave a squeal of delight from above me, her hand suddenly resting on my shoulder as I looked up at the ceiling; it was as if all of the air had been pushed from my lungs, butterflies fluttering within me….I was… "I suppose congratulations are in order…"

**A/N:** I'm 'so-so' on this one; this is my first time ever writing something for this Fandom as I have said, and it was my first time writing something that was set in the 'modern age', so, I hope I didn't disappoint. I promise, the next one will be better, and I sincerely apologize for the terrible terrible ending.


	2. They Stay Near What They Love

**Title:** Eternity and a Day

**Prompt:** Request from DanaIsis

**Fandom:** Van Helsing (Slight AU)

**Pairing:** Velkan/OC

**Part 2/3**

**A/N: **Onward with the second part. Hope you enjoy it :]

How am I supposed to tell Velkan about this? I can't even begin to explain how many times I'd asked myself this question on an hourly basis. Jaelle had forbade me to do any outdoor work, or lifting of any kind, leaving me bored stiff inside of this cottage all day. So I'd been taking this opportunity to plan out my confessions, the tone had to perfect, and I couldn't sound scared; but that was proving impossible. Taking a deep breath I rested my hand against my stomach, caressing it slowly as if the vary child that was growing inside of me was already here, nestled asleep in my lap. I furrowed by brow as I desperately felt for anything to confirm for myself that there was infact a child within my womb, but, as Lucine had told me a night ago…it was too early for me to tell, it just seemed rather odd to me that she was able to feel the child and not me; I was almost jealous in a way. Conflicting emotions were the worst part of his whole ordeal; I didn't know whether to be afraid or happy, or how much emotion to show. To my knowledge Jaelle and Lucine were the only two people in the village that knew, and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible for one too many persons in this village don't know how to hold their tongue; and there was just one supernatural beast in particular that didn't need to find out about my situation. And that's where the anxiety sets in…what if he already knew? I wasn't sure how Dracula acquired any of his knowledge, and I most certainly didn't know if he could just 'sense' that another Valerious may be on their way. My heart beast against my chest as I pulled the blankets tighter around me, gripping the small metal rod I prodded the fire that was before me, beckoning for it to strengthen just until I had enough heat; the fire, much to my surprise, roared to life in one swift motion, the small twigs catching ablaze almost instantly.

Sitting back in the rather sturdy chair my mind began to wonder again, focusing on the same things as I usually did; Velkan and how much I wanted him back here, back here with me and his son or daughter. I know he'd want a son to continue on the Valerious name, but, I wouldn't mind a raven haired little girl that looks strikingly like me running around the village, or, wherever we relocated to once this was all sorted out. Relocation; that was just another issue of many, Velkan wouldn't like the fact of leaving Romania, and not to mention his sister behind, and what if relocating didn't work…what if Dracula followed. It was becoming apparent that no matter how the situation was handled, that danger would be lurking in every possible corner…perhaps I would need to leave… It wasn't a second later that the door opened, the wood creaking on his un-oiled hinges in a sickening almost eerie way; I looked up quickly, my perception of the beast I was just thinking about radiating in my mind, fear coursing though my veins. Even though I recognized the smiling face that was starring at me my heart still continued to beat rapidly, palms sweating. "Analiese," Jaelle's lips twitched slightly, and I could almost instantly tell that she was trying to withhold excitement. "They're back." The words left her mouth slowly, and it took me a few moments to realize what she had just said. My lips parted in a silent whisper as I began to stand up from the chair quickly, the muscles under my skin trying to find the smile that was threatening to explode upon my features at a moment's notice. _Velkan_; this name rolled of my tongue slowly as I slipped my bare feet into a pair of the ratty old shoes that were sitting before me.

A warm sensation coursed through my veins, spreading from the center of my heart and radiating out of my pores, my fingertips, shining out of my teeth as I rushed towards the door; Jaelle moved from her spot quickly, the older woman knowing that she would be trampled otherwise. My earlier predicament, the very thing that I had been worry over for the past four days was suddenly forgotten as my eyes scanned the group of men and horses that were standing in the middle of the village; all looking worn, solemn faces glanced at me before they quickly turned away, almost as if they looked upon my face they would turn to stone. I wrinkled my nose in confusion at their actions, all the while my heart beat against my chest as it propelled me forward. _Where is Velkan?_ I turned in a circle, maybe I missed him, or maybe he went to put up the horse. Ignoring the cold as it hit my skin I rushed from the warm air that was flooding through the house, my legs compelling me across the gravel that was covered with a dusting of snow; Velkan was usually the first one here, always leading the group…maybe. The thought crossed my mind for a split second; perhaps they were bringing the beast back to village, to show that they had in fact killed the beast. My deep brown eyes continued to stray across the land, looking for any sign of a straggler coming up the lane, through the trees, the faint sound of hooves against pavement…anything. A head of curly brunette hair caught my attention, the tendrils billowing the rather frigid breeze, without a second though I pushed through the thickening crowd, ignoring the tears and tearing of fingers as women and children were reunited with their loved ones; sons, husbands, fathers…

"Anna!" I called, being able to breathe again; I looked behind me as I listened to a few children squeal in delight 'father! Momma, father's back!' My hand rested against my stomach for a few seconds, wondering if our child was going to say that to him one day, well, hopefully Dracula will be rid of by the time he or she was brought into this world. The woman with the angelic face turned around quickly; her eyes wide, mouth open slightly like she was surprised to see me standing before her. "Where-where's Velkan?" the words left my mouth before I could even ask how she was doing, but, all of that would be answered at the tavern later. Usually after a hunt the men told their stories of near death experiences at the other side of the town, near the stables; it was the only time the children were allowed to accompany their parents to it.

"Come with me," she said quickly, her gloved hand wrapping around my wrist. The sudden contact frightened me, the look on her face, the smile that didn't exist…" I have much to tell you-"I let her drag me a few inches forward, her movements jerking me towards the company of my own cottage. I dug the nonexistent heel of my slipper into the frozen ground, halting us from going any farther. I couldn't understand why she was acting this way. Unless they were actually brining the beast back into the village, perhaps Velkan informed her of my already weak stomach when it came to things such as that, I wanted to laugh, little did he know that my stomach surely wouldn't be able to handle it now.

"Is he coming with the others?" Anna looked back in the direction of the thickening crowd, nodding her head quickly she turned her attention back to her earlier destination, pulling me along once again. I went with her willingly, seeing that it was no use in trying to stop her once she put her mind to something. "I have something of much importance to tell him." It was almost as if she didn't hear the words that were flowing from my mouth; either that or she really didn't care about what I had to say.

"I'm sure it can stand to wait a few moments." She hissed, pulling me into the cottage. I noticed Jaelle's as we entered the structure, she looked confused, and her cheeks had a read tint to them. The only other time I'd seen her like this was whenever she was trying to keeping something from me, brushing it off as nothing I could sense my wrist again. The blood came flowing back though my arm, no doubt there would be a small bruise where Anna had needlessly dragged me around like a doll, or better yet a child…I was perfectly capable of moving on my own. I looked at her for a few moments, trying to decipher what was hiding behind those eyes of hers; she was always a hard one to read, and granted, I haven't really gotten to know her the way that future family should.

"Oh," I replied meekly; I looked around the small structure for a few moments. This wasn't what Anna was used to; makeshift walls, tattered blankets, straw pushed under the beds to cushion it…she hadn't exactly said it before, but, I got the feeling that she thought that Velkan should have someone…that was on their level. "Well, would you like some hot tea? I just brewed it...its fresh." I quickly busied myself at the can that was hanging above the stove, the tea leaves floating in the already boiling water; the aroma was sweeter than I had remembered it.

"No!" I jumped slightly at the sound of her voice; shrill, almost bordering a scream. I was too afraid to look at her face as I turned towards her, hanging the pot back up on the small nail that was penetrating the wall. Her hand was laid out on the small wooden table, eyes closed, and hair covering her face; knuckles white. Her recent outbursts were already attracting a skeptical approach from me, and truth be told I was apprehensive about even approaching her. "No," she repeated again, releasing a breath. "I'm-I'm not very thirsty." She brushed the hair out of her face quickly. I continued to stand there, starring at her as if I would suddenly be able to read to her mind; she looked up at me, her eyes pleading. . "Will you please, sit?" she gestured to the unstable chair that was sitting across from her at the opposite side of the table. As if this wasn't my own home, I took a seat slowly; my mind raced with unanswered questions, each depicting a different 'worst case scenario' I thought she would have began talking as soon as I sat down, instead an awkward silence filled the void between us. I wasn't sure what she was preparing the tell me, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know.

"Anna, what's- what's this about?" I managed; this would be the opportune moment for Velkan to walk through the door. I could see him now, hair a disheveled mess, face dirty, clothes tattered. He would probably have a few good limps from a struggle…I always told him to be careful; if you can't catch the beast then that's the end of it. Don't try and apprehend something that can't be caught. But nothing came through that door, nothing but the cold wind that was seeping in through the cracks, and the sound of the children that were still celebrating in the seats, the birds that were chirping in the bleak of winter. She looked at me for a moment again, but she never did look_ at_ me.

"There is no easy way for me to say this, Analiese." Her fingernails drummed against the fading wood, the hard nails tapping erratically mimicked the beating of my heart; I felt as if I was underwater, something pressing against my lungs…it was suddenly quite hard to breathe. "Velkan is dead." She forced the last words out though gritted teeth and a shallow breath, her shoulders rounded as if she was trying to keep something within her. The words echoed in my mind, the word _dead _reverberating off my skull, bouncing off of each side…but not sticking.

"No," I shook my head; I wasn't aware that I was standing until I felt my feet hastily dragging me towards the door, lungs and heart heavy. Fear poured out of every available pore in my body. I could faintly hear Anna behind me, calling my name. "No, you don't know what you're saying, Anna." My voice was small, breathless as I tossed the wooden door open. My hand shook, legs wobbling as I ventured out into the cold; I knew people were around me, I could see them, their silhouettes…but I could no longer hear them. I could hear nothing but my heartbeat. "He promised me he'd be back!" My voice was loud, and it was only then that I realized that I was yelling, screaming almost. I could feel the salty tears trailing over my lips, my nose, falling off my chin. I could hear Anna trying to console me, saying my name over and over in hopes that it would disintegrate my irate mood. By the time she had made it over to me I was already running towards the stables, tearing though the hay, peeking over the doors; Velkan's name fell from my lips several times. He wasn't in the stable, he wasn't in the streets, and he wasn't in my home…_our _home. He wasn't here; I backed away from the middle of the foyer of the barn until I felt my back hit something hard, the wall; I slid down it slowly, my hands covering my mouth as I screamed, screamed for him, screamed for Anna… Anna came, bending down she held me close.

"Where is he?" I sobbed.

"I'm so sorry, Analiese, I'm so sorry."

* * *

><p>"Miss Analiese," I could hear the voice, but then again, I couldn't. All of the voices had begun to sound the same over the last couple of days, but, I haven't spoken nor replied to them. In fact, I haven't moved from my spot on the bed since the news of Velkan's demise was broken to me. "You need to eat." I pulled the covers over my shoulders like a stubborn child, facing the candle that was flickering on the wall; my stomach growled. I squeezed my eyes shut; whenever I heard that sound it reminded me of the beast that took my only love away from me. All was silent for a few moments, so silent, in fact, that I thought Jaelle had left me be until I heard her weathered voice once again, brining me back to reality. "Think of the baby." The baby, the baby, the baby; my heart broke tenfold every time I thought about raising this child without him. I wanted my child to know who their father was, I wanted to see them together in the stables, I wanted to see them chasing each other around Castle Valerious, and I wanted this child to learn from him. I however was beginning to see that my child was on the brink of growing up the way I did; homeless, without parents or anyone to care for them.<p>

"He won't know who his father was…" I croaked, sitting up in bed slowly; keeping the blanket around my shoulders I looked at Jaelle. She was tired, eyes heavy with worry and face weathered with age and stress. And yes, something told me that this child was going to be a boy. "Or, or what he did."

"You'll need to tell him then." She replied softly, her rump perching itself on the edge of the tattered seats; she placed a calloused hand on my wrist, holding it tightly with reassurance. "Teach your child who Velkan was." I looked down at my lap for a moment; I had plenty of stories to tell him. I would tell him about how he won me over, how he invited me into his home, how he fought the forces of evil in order to make the world a better place for his son. But something suddenly struck me…

"What if I forget about him?" the words were laced with worry as I looked back up at her, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes once again; this was a daily occurrence for me. My child would need to be of age to comprehend most of the stories, but, what if I forgot about his feats, his face, his voice…

"Oh," she shook me slightly, pulling me against her she rested her cheek against the top of my head; I could smell the food that was resting on the bedside table. "Don't you worry about that, you won't." Jaelle always looked on the positive side of things, always the voice of reason.

"How do you know? Did you forget about your husband?" I remembered him, vaguely, that is. If I couldn't remember the man that practically served as a father to me…how was I supposed to remember that man that won my heart? Jaelle rarely talked about him, he only came up a few times in a conversation.

"No, dear, no." she answered solemnly; I turned away from her grasp and looked at her. I could have argued that, I could have stated that she never talked about him; but her eyes said it all. I saw love, regret, sadness…she remembered him, it was like he was still here.

"Does it ever go away?" I inquired.

"Does _what_ ever go away?"

"The pain." I choked. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer; I wiped them away quickly though, only knowing that if I let them go on that they would consume the rest of my day. The pain was real; it was a if someone had drove a knife though my heart, ripped it out and stepped on it. "My-"I took a deep breath, voice shaking. "My heart feels as if it's been torn in two. I-I don't want it to last forever." I awaited a witty answer from the old woman that was still holding me against her like a feeding babe, stroking my hair, shushing me as sobs wracked my body.

"Well," she sighed, "It never goes away." I looked at her, listening intently. "It may numb, but," she stopped again and shook her head, shrugging slightly; I'd never seen Jaelle so…venerable. "You'll carry it to your grave." Forever, that was my answer, the aching in my heart would never go away, it would never fade, it would never stop… "But, we'll have plenty of time to talk about mending the heart later, right now," She let go of me and reached over, grabbing the plate of food. I could see now what it was; Eggs, dried meat, and what looked to be a form of fruit. There was no use in struggling against it, I was hungry…and apparently so was my child. Taking the plate of food from her hand I slowly began to pick at it, my stomach growling once again as I swallowed each piece, savoring it, for I knew that food in the winter was hard to come by.

"Analiese," I turned mouth full of food as looked upon Jaelle; something was bothering her. "You need to leave Romania…you do realize that." I swallowed the last bit of food that was in my mouth slowly, that was a subject that was still resting at the back of my mind, but, it was something that needed to come to light. I nodded my head in agreement, acknowledging my predicament.

"Yes, I do, but," I paused for a moment, "I do not know where to go." That's not the real reason why I didn't dwell on the subject; a part of me still hadn't grasped the concept that Velkan was dead, a part of me wanted to stay here and wait for him…

"We'll figure that out later, but you need to leave soon." The old, fast paced Jaelle was back; the one that kept me moving. I shook my head, sighing slightly.

"Jaelle, give me time to cope…please."

* * *

><p><em>White, cold, ice; my feet were cold as I stepped onto the chilling surface of the ground. Sprouts of grass littered the ever white surface. Feet? No shoes covered my toes as they buried themselves under the ice, yet, they were not cold. I'd seen what happens to those that stay in the cold too long with no protection; their fingers and toes turn an odd series of colors. I looked down, jaw dropping instantly as a gasp escaped my lip; though my feet were still there I couldn't see them, my stomach, it was big….but it wasn't like this when I went to sleep. A chill skittered up my spine, a cold wind nipping at my face. A sound…a voice; I turned facing the ticket of trees behind me… trail. The trail was covered with white, the overhand forming a canopy of ice as it stretched across; a sound. <em>

"_Who's there?" I demanded, my voice echoed. A rustling, somewhere off the trail; leaves floated in the wind. "Hello?" all was silent, my heart beast against my chest. "Hell-" _

"_Analiese!" it was a scream, another sounded shortly after; that voice, I knew that voice. I loved that voice. My heart sank, lungs feeling like bricks as I looked ahead, eyes wide, stomach huge. A growl, a snarl; it was menacing, disturbing. No, no it couldn't be. "Ana-"Velkan's scream filled the air again…he was calling…for me. _

"_Velkan!" I screamed, my throat itching; my feet pounded against the powdered ground as I followed the screams, my name lacing some while others were short lived and filled with anguish. I could feel tears dripping from my eyes; I feared that they would turn to ice. "Velkan! I'm coming! Where-"the trail seemed to go for miles, and it felt as if I had been running for days, the trail ended; a thicket of trees surrounded what should have been a way out. And a beast, standing on its haunches, teeth barred, and ears back. Claws sharper than swords and a smell so foul people in London could smell it. It looked at me, a growling emitting from its throat. My breath hitched in my throat as I looked at the body between its claws, mangled, barely recognizable…but that voice. _

"_Help…me." That voice. His voice. Velkan's voice. _

Just a dream, just a dream, it's just a dream. I continued to sit up in the bed, hand sprawled out across my chest, on my stomach, toes wiggling. I could feel my bottom lip quivering violently as I tried to regain my composure, to clam myself as my heart raced. I looked down at my hand as it caressed the nonexistent bump. I wondered if my child had the same dream. Or even if unborn children dream… If so, I only prayed that they dreamt of only good things. This was a nightly occurrence for me, waking up in a cold sweat, mumbling his name…reaching for his hand. I glanced near the candle that was still burning on the wall; I would have to make a new one soon. Sighing, I lay back down, pulling the covers up over my shoulders. I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight, although, talking to my baby, even though he couldn't hear me, seemed to put me in better spirits.

I opened my mouth to speak a soft word or two, but, a sound prevented me from doing so; a knock…a tapping at my door…

**A/N:** Sorry for having this out so late; I still don't know how I feel about it, but, I fear to say that this fic only has one more chapter left! Glad that you all enjoyed it!


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